Congress passes bill to shore up Postal Service, delivery

By LISA MASCARO

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Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of N.Y., looks on as Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., center, congratulates Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., right, and Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, for leading the passage of the Senate bill to reform the U.S. Postal Service, on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, March 8, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)


WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress on Tuesday passed legislation that would shore up the U.S. Postal Service and ensure six-day-a-week mail delivery, sending the bill to President Joe Biden to sign into law.

The long-fought postal overhaul has been years in the making and comes amid widespread complaints about mail service slowdowns. Many Americans became dependent on the Postal Service during the COVID-19 crisis, but officials have repeatedly warned that without congressional action it would run out of cash by 2024.

“The post office usually delivers for us, but today we’re going to deliver for them,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

Congress mustered rare bipartisan support for the Postal Service package, dropping some of the more controversial proposals to settle on core ways to save the service and ensure its future operations. Last month, the House approved the bill, 342-92, with all Democrats and most Republicans voting for it. On Tuesday, the Senate sent it to Biden’s desk on a 79-19 vote.

Republican Sen. Jerry Moran said the Postal Service has been in a “death spiral” that is particularly hard on rural Americans, including in his state of Kansas, as post offices shuttered and services were cut. “Smart reforms were needed,” he said.

The Postal Service Reform Act would lift unusual budget requirements that have contributed to the Postal Service’s red ink and would set in law the requirement that the mail is delivered six days a week, except in the case of federal holidays, natural disasters and a few other situations.

Postage sales and other services were supposed to sustain the Postal Service, but it has suffered 14 straight years of losses. Growing workers’ compensation and benefit costs, plus steady declines in mail volume, have contributed to the red ink, even as the Postal Service delivers to 1 million additional locations every year.

The bill would end a requirement that the Postal Service finance workers’ health care benefits ahead of time for the next 75 years, an obligation that private companies and federal agencies do not face.

Instead, the Postal Service would require future retirees to enroll in Medicare and would pay current retirees’ actual health care costs that aren’t covered by the federal health insurance program for older people.

Gone for now are ideas for cutting back on mail delivery, which had become politically toxic. Also set aside, for now, are other proposals that have been floated over the years to change postal operations, including those to privatize some services.

Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., the chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, helmed the legislation and said that since the nation’s founding, the Postal Service has become “a vital part of the fabric of our nation.”

Peters said the legislation would ensure the Postal Service can continue its nearly “250-year tradition of delivering service to the American people.”

Beyond cards and letters, people rely on the post office to deliver government checks, prescription drugs and many goods purchased online but ultimately delivered to doorsteps and mailboxes by the Postal Service.

“We need to save our Postal Service,” said Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, another architect of the bill. Portman said the bill is not a bailout, and no new funding is going to the agency.

Criticism of the Postal Service peaked in 2020, ahead of the presidential election, as cutbacks delayed service at a time when millions of Americans were relying on mail-in ballots during the first year of the COVID-19 crisis.

At the time, President Donald Trump acknowledged he was trying to starve the Postal Service of money to make it harder to process an expected surge of mail-in ballots, which he worried could cost him the election.

Dominated by Trump appointees, the agency’s board of governors had tapped Louis DeJoy, a major GOP donor, as the new postmaster general. He proposed a 10-year plan to stabilize the service’s finances with steps like additional mail slowdowns, cutting some offices’ hours and perhaps higher rates.

To measure the Postal Service’s progress at improving its service, the bill would also require it to set up an online “dashboard” that would be searchable by ZIP code to show how long it takes to deliver letters and packages.

The legislation approved by Congress is supported by Biden, the Postal Service, postal worker unions and others.

Mark Dimondstein, the president of the American Postal Workers Union, called passage of the legislation a “turning point in the fight to protect and strengthen the people’s public postal service, a national treasure.”

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Associated Press writer Alan Fram contributed to this report.

Validation in Canadian oilpatch as world focuses on energy security, abandons Russian crude

Kyle Bakx 

MARCH 9,2022

Amid sky-high oil prices and increasing sanctions on Russian energy around the globe, some in the Canadian oilpatch are noticing a change in attitude toward their industry.

The U.S. and U.K. are banning Russian oil and the European Union is moving to end its reliance on Russian natural gas, following the country's invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. was importing about 500,000 barrels per day of oil and other petroleum products from Russia.

Canadian energy leaders say they could immediately replace between one-third to one-half of those volumes and move the oil south of the border by pipeline and rail. And that's now a possibility with the U.S. looking for a steady supply of more oil to lower prices and replace Russian barrels.
Canada can move crude to U.S., energy exec says

"There is capacity for us to be able to move more crude into the U.S.," said Suncor chief executive Mark Little, in an interview.

Little is in Houston, Texas, at CERAWeek, one of the largest energy conferences in the world, and an event he's attended in the past.

© Kyle Bakx/CBC 

Suncor chief executive Mark Little says the Canadian oilpatch can export more oil south of the border.

"If you go back a couple of years, I would say the conversation about Canada's role with the United States on energy was almost non-existent," he said.

"And the engagement with the Canadian marketplace, I would say was very, very low. I think there's more of a recognition of just how important Canada is."

Oil from the Canadian oilsands is the "most demonized oil in the world," said Daniel Yergin, an author and vice-chair of S&P Global, on Tuesday, because it has traditionally been a high-cost and high-emitting source of energy.

Overall emissions from the oilsands continue to rise, although the amount of greenhouse gases per barrel of oil has decreased over the years.

"I am seeing a big change," said Cenovus CEO Alex Pourbaix, in an interview.

"The only thing that I'm gratified by out of this [conflict in Ukraine] is that I think, energy security is getting the level of scrutiny that I think it deserved for many years."

© Kyle Bakx/CBC

 Daniel Yergin, left, walks on stage before moderating a panel on Canadian energy with Suncor CEO Mark Little, centre, and Cenovus CEO Alex Pourbaix, right, during CERAWeek by S&P Global.

Canada was one of the first countries to announce a ban on Russian crude, although it hadn't imported any of the oil in a few years.
Sanctions deliver huge blow to energy market

Up until recently, Russia has produced about 10 per cent of the world's oil supply. Economic sanctions, in addition to the direct sanctions on energy, are hampering the country's oil and natural gas exports.

The impacts to Russian energy is potentially the biggest physical disruption to the energy market in history, said Aaron Brady, an executive director with S&P Global.

Climbing costs at the pump

Many private companies such as oil traders, banks, shippers and energy companies are avoiding Russia oil because they don't want to run afoul of sanctions. They also are avoiding Russian oil because of their values and possible reputational risk.

Shell was criticized for buying a shipment of Russian oil last week after the invasion of Ukraine had begun.

"I think there is a degree of vindication," said Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, in an interview.

© Kyle Bakx/CBC

 Alberta Premier Jason Kenney says the U.S. would be foolish to source more oil from Venezuela or Saudi Arabia instead of Canada. He made the comments at CERAWeek by S&P Global in Houston on Tuesday.

"I feel like what we have been saying for years is now understood to be true," he said. "And that is, the world needs more liberal democratic energy and less conflict energy."

Many European countries are far more cognizant of the need to source oil and natural gas from stable, democratic countries, according to federal Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson.

"In the aftermath of the terrible things that are happening in Ukraine, I think that is something that is going to continue going forward. I think that that is one of the lessons that the Europeans are taking from this," he said in an interview.

There has been a collective amnesia about energy security for decades, some experts say, but now the issue is a top priority.

"It's back on the forefront. It should have never left," said Ryan Lance, CEO of ConocoPhillips, while on stage at CERAWeek.

The oil and gas sector is the largest source of greenhouse gases in Canada, accounting for 26 per cent of total national emissions in 2019, according to Natural Resources Canada.

What the U.S. ban on Russian oil imports means for Alberta

    TARSANDS

Stephanie Thomas
CTV News Calgary Video Journalist
Published March 8, 2022

As oil and gas prices soar and the United States bans imports of all Russian oil products, energy analysts fear it will be a challenge for Alberta's resource sector to respond quickly.

U.S. President Joe Biden announced the ban on Tuesday, calling it "another powerful blow to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's war machine" while "Americans have rallied support the Ukrainian people."

Meanwhile, speaking at the CERAWeek conference in Texas on Tuesday, Premier Jason Kenney said Alberta is the natural answer for the current energy crisis.

“With the third largest proven and probable oil reserves on earth, 180-billion barrels-plus and one of the largest reserves of proven and probable natural gas reserves, that we (Alberta) are a natural answer to the challenge of global energy security," said Kenney.

Kenney also continued to call for the American government to revive the Keystone XL Pipeline project to bring Alberta oil to U.S. refineries.

Yet on Tuesday, TC Energy Corporation rejected that.

"The Keystone XL Pipeline Project was terminated and will not proceed," said Reid Feist, media relations specialist.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine last month has shifted global energy security and analysts suggest Alberta can be a "pillar" or stable supplier, but lacks time.

"You could argue (Alberta's energy resources) would contribute to greater global stability in the course, that's not where we're at today. In terms of this crisis, there is a lot of pressure for short-term responses and short-term solutions from the upstream sector, but there it will take a little bit longer for them to really respond to it," said Kevin Birn, a Calgary-based crude oil market analyst with S&P Global Commodity Insights.

Birn says the current high-price environment where the North American benchmark teeters to US$130 per barrel is not sustainable for the long-term, but shows strong demand for crude oil.

"We're seeing the world remains very much hydrocarbon-powered, and oil and gas is a fundamental pillar for quality of life in the medium term," said Birn.

Birn says Alberta produces a heavy sour crude that is refined in the American Midwest and Gulf Coast, and although production upstream within Canada could be ramped up -- there are major challenges for Alberta to meet the market gap by the exclusion of Russian oil.

He adds that transportation remains an issue, as pipeline and rail capacity from Alberta to the U.S. is limited.

In addition, Birn says the energy sector in North America has recently shifted to an energy transition, as producers are "looking at a long-term demand scenario where they do see renewables taking a greater share and potential for erosion of the demand (for oil) over the long term."

CLIMBING COST OF LIVING

The price at the pump has shocked Canadian drivers as a direct result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and a Calgary-based energy retail analyst says it will continue to climb over the next few months.

Gasoline fuel prices have soared across the country to a national average of $1.80 per litre.

Gas prices are already 15-30 cents higher per lite since late February, and are expected to increase another eight to 10 cents in April with the start of the North American driving season, said Vijay Muralidharan, a consultant with Kalibrate, a company that collects gasoline price and consumption data.

"Technically, what you're seeing today in gasoline is what has happened in February ... So you're not going to see any abatement of gasoline prices for at least a month and a half, in my opinion," said Muralidharan.

WHERE ELSE COULD IT COME FROM?

Speculating that energy companies would look to the Middle East to purchase oil, Kenney encourage them to instead look to Albertan oil because, "a flight to Calgary is cheaper than a flight to Riyadh (the capital of Saudi Arabia)."

Kenney also promoted Alberta's energy resources as coming from a politically stable region compared to other oil producing regions.

Russia produces an estimated 10 per cent of crude and products used around the world.

BEFORE AND AFTER TARSANDS 

‘The best of us’: Biden promises improved care for veterans

By JOSH BOAK

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President Joe Biden watches as veteran John Caruso walks with the help of an exoskeleton and is assisted by Joshua Geering, SCI Therapy Lead Therapist, Spinal Cord Injury/Disabilities Center in Dallas, as Biden tour's the Fort Worth VA Clinic in Fort Worth, Texas, Tuesday, March 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday said U.S. veterans were the “backbone, the spine, the sinew” of the nation, as he pushed for better help for members of the military who face health problems, including after exposure to burn pits.

“You’re the best of us,” Biden said.

For the president, the issue is very personal. In last week’s State of the Union address, Biden raised the prospect of whether being near the chemicals from pits where military waste was incinerated in Iraq led to the death of his son Beau.

“We don’t know for sure if a burn pit was the cause of his brain cancer, or the diseases of so many of our troops,” Biden said in the speech. “But I’m committed to finding out everything we can.”

Biden traveled with Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough to Texas, where they visited a VA clinic in Fort Worth. There, he met with veterans, including one who was stationed near a pit and later had six weeks of treatment and chemotherapy. Biden greeted a veteran named John, who was seated in a wheelchair, asking him, “How are you?”

“Good to see you man, let me say hi to you,” Biden said, walking over to shake his hand.

At the Tarrant County Resource Connection, the president was joined by about 150 people, including local elected officials and community leaders, Republican Rep. Jake Ellzey and Democratic Rep. Colin Allred.

“There is a price to be paid for every conflict we’re in,” said Ellzey, adding that the country had an obligation to care for veterans and the families any killed in action leave behind.

Biden begged veterans to ask for help when they need it, noting that 17 veterans die by suicide every day, more than in combat.

“They shouldn’t have to ask for a damn thing,” he said of veterans who suffer because of their service. “It should be, ‘I’ve got a problem’ and we should say, ‘How can I help?’

“We’re asking you to tell us. Tell us what your needs are. Don’t be ashamed. We owe you.”

He said there should be expanded access to health care and benefits for veterans affected by exposure to harmful substances, toxins and other environmental hazards, including those from burn pits, plots of land where the military destroyed tires, batteries, medical waste and other materials. Biden said the U.S. government made terrible mistakes during the Vietnam War, when troops returning home suffered mental health problems and physical symptoms that took years to link to Agent Orange.

He refuses to make the same mistakes with those returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

“When our troops came home, the fittest among them ... too many of them were not the same,” suffering unexplained breathing problems and other issues, he said.

“We don’t know yet enough about the connection between burn pits” and the diseases veterans faced, Biden said, adding he was committed to finding out more, increasing funding to study the relationships.

“We’re following the science,” he said, but he urged vets to sign up for the VA burn pit registry, and make sure they know about benefits available to them.

Fort Worth City Councilmember Elizabeth Beck, deployed as a sergeant to Taji, Iraq, said she coughed every day, expelling black matter, and suspected it came from the burn pit that smoldered daily. It took her 17 years to apply for help because she couldn’t bear the red tape.

“We don’t want to ask for anything we don’t deserve,” she said of her fellow veterans. “We aren’t asking for something that we shouldn’t have. We are simply asking not to have to fight again.”

Biden, a Democrat, also called on Congress to send him a bill that protects veterans who face health consequences after burn pit exposure. He said he’d sign it immediately. The House last week passed a bill that would provide VA health care to millions of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who meet that criteria.

Biden’s son Beau was a major in a Delaware Army National Guard unit that deployed to Iraq in 2008. The two-term Delaware attorney general was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2013 and died two years later at age 46.

It is difficult to link toxic exposure to an individual’s medical condition. The concentration of toxic material is often well below the levels needed for immediate poisoning. Still, the VA’s own hazardous materials exposure website, along with scientists and doctors, say military personnel do face risks and dangers after being exposed to contaminants.

Biden, VA chief head to Texas to highlight care for veterans' environmental illnesses


President Joe Biden and VA Secretary Denis McDonough (C) salute during a wreath-laying ceremony on the 100th anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., on November 11, 2021. Tuesday, Biden and McDonough will travel to Fort Worth, Texas.

 Photo by Oliver Contreras/UPI | License Photo

March 8 (UPI) -- President Joe Biden heads for Texas on Tuesday with other administration officials and will speak in the afternoon about improving access to healthcare for military veterans who have been sickened by environmental exposures.

Biden will make the trip with Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough, the White House said.

Biden is scheduled to make the trip to Fort Worth, where he'll visit a VA clinic and speak about how his administration is addressing related healthcare issues, particularly those that occur during time in service.

In his State of the Union address last week, Biden spoke about his late son and military veteran Beau Biden and mentioned that he'd possibly been exposed to toxic smoke from burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan. The pits were frequently used to burn things like tires, batteries and medical waste.

"When they came home, many of the world's fittest and best-trained warriors were never the same," the president said in the speech. "Headaches. Numbness. Dizziness. A cancer that would put them in a flag-draped coffin. I know. One of those soldiers was my son, Maj. Beau Biden."

Beau Biden, who'd served in the U.S. Army and Delaware National Guard and was Delaware's 44th attorney general, died in 2015 after a battle with brain cancer.

On Tuesday, President Biden is scheduled to speak at 4:30 p.m. EST after visiting a healthcare facility in Fort Worth. McDonough will also give remarks.

"The president and the secretary of Veterans Affairs will visit the Fort Worth VA Clinic to speak with VA healthcare providers about addressing the health effects of environmental exposures such as burn pits and receive a briefing on primary care and specialty health services for veterans," the White House said in a statement.

Then-Vice Presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., embraces his son Beau at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colo., on August 27, 2008. 

File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

"The president will discuss his administration's actions to address these issues, including a new proposed rule to consider adding certain rare cancers to the list of those presumed to be service-connected, and he will urge Congress to send him legislation that ensures we honor our commitment to veterans exposed to toxic substances."

Last week, the VA said it intends to add nine rare respiratory cancers to the list of presumed service-connected disabilities in relation to exposure to toxic chemicals in the air, water and soil for those who served in the Southwest Asian theater.

The department said that veterans and dependents who'd been denied claims connected with such cases are encouraged to reapply.

WTC first responders have higher frequency of gene mutations linked to cancer

First responders exposed to dust and gases at the World Trade Center site in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks have higher levels of genetic mutations associated with blood cancers, a new study has found.

 File Photo by Monika Graff/UPI | License Photo

March 7 (UPI) -- First responders who worked at the World Trade Center in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks have higher levels of genetic mutations linked with leukemia and other blood cancers, a study published Monday by Nature Medicine found.

Among more than 480 firefighters and others who worked at Ground Zero following the attacks and were exposed to toxic dust and gases due to the collapse of the Twin Towers were found to have clonal hematopoiesis, the data showed.

This is two to three times more than was seen in firefighters who did not work at the site, the researchers said.

Clonal hematopoiesis is characterized by mutations in blood cells associated with smoking and exposure to toxic substances that impact genes, according to the researchers.

It is associated with a higher risk for developing leukemia and other health problems, including heart attacks, asthma and diabetes, they said.

"People with these genetic mutations are at higher risk for developing leukemia down the road," study co-author Dr. Amit Verma told UPI via Zoom.

"But more than that, they are also at higher risk for inflammation-associated diseases, like heart disease, so there are significant health implications here," said Verma, director of the division of hemato-oncology at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City.

RELATED Thousands suffer health effects of Ground Zero's toxic dust 20 years after 9/11 attacks

Based on their findings, Verma and his colleagues would like to see the WTC Health Program incorporate genetic testing similar to that used in the study into its offerings so that those at risk can be screened for these diseases.

More than 20 years after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, people living and working in and around lower Manhattan, where the World Trade Center was located, are still experiencing health problems, including high rates of cancer and autoimmune disorders, according to the WTC Health Program.

Exposure to air pollution in general has been linked with various health problems, from heart disease and breathing disorders to dementia, research suggests.

RELATED Air pollution in cities causes 1.8 million deaths globally each year, studies find

Former Daily Show host Jon Stewart in 2019 helped push Congress to make funding of the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund permanent, specifically because of the growing health concerns of first responders with illnesses related to the terrorist attacks.

For this study, Verma and his colleagues analyzed blood samples collected from 481 WTC-exposed first responders and 255 non-exposed firefighters.

They focused on 237 genes frequently mutated in leukemia and other blood malignancies, they said.

The genetic sequencing used in the study is expensive and may not be covered by most health insurers, hence the need for the WTC Health Program to get involved, according to Verma.


"Cancer takes a long time to become manifest," said Verma, who is also a professor of medicine and developmental and molecular biology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

"Twenty years is really the time when we see tumors develop following an exposure, so identifying those who are at risk" can enable earlier diagnosis and treatment, he said.

Treasury report says lack of competition in U.S. job market keeping wages low

Worker's rights advocates rally outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on May 19, 2021, calling for an increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour. 

File Photo by Tasos Katopodis/UPI | License Photo

March 7 (UPI) -- A report from the Treasury Department on Monday pushed back some against the popular belief that the present job market is a workers' market -- underscoring that companies on the whole are still able to get away with underpaying employees.

The report, titled "The State of Labor Market Competition," was compiled with the departments of Justice and Labor and the Federal Trade Commission.

The assessment says that employers are able to keep paying lower wages because there's not much competition for their workers. That lack of competition, it adds, costs workers 15-25% of what they might otherwise qualify to make.

President Joe Biden signs an executive order to promote competition in the American economy, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on July 9, 2021. That order produced Monday's report. 

File Photo by Alex Edelman/UPI

"Employers also use their market power to impose other costs on workers, including unpredictable just-in-time schedules, punishing work conditions, and no opportunity for advancement," the study says.

Further, it says that outsourcing U.S. jobs has reduced wages by as much as 24% in some industries, and a decline in unions has robbed employees of bargaining power that could increase their pay and lead to better working conditions.

The lack of competition most often hurts women and communities of color, who make up a larger share of workers in lower-paid occupations.

"These workers often have diminished bargaining power because they lack the resources to easily switch jobs or occupations, to reject or negotiate against signing restrictive employment agreements, or to seek legal recourse for violations of labor and employment law," the study says.

The report is part of a pledge President Joe Biden made last year to look into the impact of anti-competitive practices in the job market.

Biden will host a roundtable with Cabinet officials on Monday afternoon that will focus on the findings of the report. He will make remarks during the meeting at 3:30 p.m. EST.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Attorney General Merrick Garland, Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, Council of Economic Advisors Chair Cecilia Rouse and National Economic Council Director Brian Deese will attend the meeting -- which will hear from workers about harms caused by anti-competitive practices.

THESE IMPACT CANADA TOO

EPA proposes new emissions guidelines for semis, other heavy-duty vehicles

A layer of smog is seen hanging over downtown Los Angeles, Calif. The EPA unveiled a proposal Monday that aims to dramatically cut down on nitrogen oxide emissions from semi trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles. 

File Photo by Etienne Laurent/EPA-EFE

March 7 (UPI) -- Federal environmental regulators announced new restrictions Monday that aim to cut down on smog-producing emissions from newly built semi trucks.

The Environmental Protection Agency unveiled the proposal, which says the tougher emissions standards would promote clean air and reduce pollution from heavy-duty vehicles beginning with the 2027 model year.

Once passed, the rules would cut output of nitrogen oxide that's produced by combustion gas and diesel engines. Nitrogen oxide is a key component that produces smog and can be harmful to humans who breathe it in.

The EPA will then set separate guidelines for greenhouse gas emission standards for the 2030 model year, the plan says, as it looks to set a long-term goal of implementing zero-emissions vehicles across the heavy-duty sector.

The proposals are part of the EPA's Clean Trucks Plan as it looks to cut nitrogen oxide emissions from trucks by as much as 60% by 2045.

If implemented, the agency expects the guidelines would result in as many as 2,100 fewer premature deaths and thousands of fewer hospital visits.

"These new standards will drastically cut dangerous pollution by harnessing recent advancements in vehicle technologies from across the trucking industry as it advances toward a zero-emissions transportation future," EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement.

"Seventy-two million people are estimated to live near truck freight routes in America, and they are more likely to be people of color and those with lower incomes.

"These overburdened communities are directly exposed to pollution that causes respiratory and cardiovascular problems, among other serious and costly health effects."

A comment period will give the public an opportunity to give feedback on the proposal.

Last November, Vice President Kamala Harris announced nearly $200 million for projects to produce cleaner cars and trucks.

Moderna reaches deal to build vaccine factory in Kenya


Moderna announced Monday, it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Kenyan government that will see the biotech company invest $500 million in a factory in that country to produce its mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, with a goal of 500 million annual doses. 

File Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI | License Photo


March 7 (UPI) -- Moderna reached a preliminary deal Monday to build an mRNA manufacturing facility in Kenya, which would produce doses of its COVID-19 vaccine.

The Massachusetts-based biotech company will invest $500 million under a memorandum of understanding it signed with the Government of the Republic of Kenya.

The U.S. government helped facilitate the agreement.

Once built, Moderna's mRNA facility in Africa will have a goal of producing up to 500 million doses of vaccines annually. It will focus on providing vaccines for the entire continent of Africa and could eventually be expanded to include packaging and other capabilities.

"Battling the COVID-19 pandemic over the last two years has provided a reminder of the work that must be done to ensure global health equity," Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said in a statement. "Moderna is committed to being a part of the solution and today, we announce another step in this journey -- an investment in the Republic of Kenya to build a drug substance mRNA manufacturing facility capable of supplying up to 500 million doses for the African continent each year.

"With our mRNA global public health vaccine program, including our vaccine programs against HIV and Nipah, and with this partnership with the Republic of Kenya, the African Union and the U.S. Government, we believe that this step will become one of many on a journey to ensure sustainable access to transformative mRNA innovation on the African continent and positively impact public health."

Moderna's mRNA pipeline includes 28 vaccine programs including vaccines against respiratory viruses, vaccines against latent viruses and vaccines against threats to global public health.

"Ending COVID-19 is a top priority of the Biden Administration and this can be achieved with increased global cooperation and investment. The agreement announced today between Moderna and the Government of Kenya to build a vaccine production facility in Kenya will not only contribute to ending this pandemic, but to long-term advancements in research and development on the African continent to combat future ones," said U.S. Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez

FLATLAND

Drone footage shows scope of deadly outbreak of tornadoes in Iowa
By Renee Duff, Accuweather.com

An outbreak of severe weather over the weekend spawned a preliminary count of more than three dozen tornadoes on Saturday across Iowa, Wisconsin and Indiana. Photo courtesy Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds via Accuweather

March 8 -- Less than 36 hours after a tornado swarm struck Iowa and killed at least seven people, including two young children, fresh snow blanketed the destruction as biting winds pushed temperatures into the single digits.

Forecasters say Mother Nature could deliver another bitter blow of snow and cold later this week, adding further hardships to residents left picking up the pieces

The outbreak of severe weather over the weekend spawned a preliminary count of more than three dozen tornadoes on Saturday across Iowa, Wisconsin and Indiana. To complicate matters further on Saturday, the National Weather Service suffered technical difficulties that caused delays in disseminating tornado warnings as the extreme weather threat escalated.

And by Monday, a widespread 2- to 4-inch snowfall blanketed much of Iowa, the hardest-hit state

The towns of Winterset and Patterson, Iowa, located to the southwest of Des Moines, saw significant damage as at least three tornado-producing thunderstorms ravaged the area Saturday. Initial assessments by the National Weather Service revealed that the damage was caused by a tornado of at least EF3 force, meaning wind speeds were as high as 136-165 mph. Later, the NWS said the tornado was actually an EF4 twister with peak winds reaching 170 mph.

The massive tornado had a width of 800 yards and traveled nearly 70 miles, creating the second-longest tornado path in Iowa since 1980. It was also the first EF4 tornado to touch down in Iowa since 2013.

Two children under the age of five and four adults were among those killed by the twister in the town of Winterset, with another reported fatality in Lucas County, Iowa, making this the deadliest tornado to hit Iowa since 2008, according to the Des Moines Register.

RELATED At least 7 people killed by tornadoes near Des Moines

Drone footage showed the path of destruction the tornado cut through Winterset, a small city that's home to a little more than 5,000 residents. Homes could be seen with roofs ripped off and debris scattered in all directions and some were almost completely leveled, the video showed.

Tornado warnings sent out by the NWS on Saturday were delayed by as many as seven minutes, the NWS said in a statement to AccuWeather.

"The communications delay stemmed from a damaged fiber optic cable that serves our Dallas-Ft. Worth forecast office, which is co-located with a river forecast center," Susan Buchanan, NWS director of public affairs, said in an email.

The glitch caused "that office to switch from its primary, land-based communication network to a backup satellite-based network that serves every NWS field office," Buchanan continued, adding that the result was a "brief backlog across multiple offices."

"Delays in the NWS distributing tornado warnings to the public, especially of between five and 10 minutes is very problematic because it means that people relying on government warnings have that much less time to seek safe shelter prior to the tornado reaching their area," AccuWeather Senior Vice President of Forecasting Jonathan Porter said.

Des Moines International Airport was in the path of the tornadic storm as it moved to the northeast, threatening air traffic and those inside the airport. As the dangers of the storm became clear, the airport decided to stop all air traffic and evacuate everyone to tornado shelters under the airport.

Dramatic footage from a traffic camera showed the fury of the thunderstorm along Interstate 35 near Cumming, Iowa, with headlights from an oncoming vehicle barely visible due to the wind-driven rain.

After impacting the Des Moines metro area, the tornado headed toward the northwest side of Newton, Iowa. While the storm was crossing I-80, a semi-truck flipped over just west of Newton as the tornado-warned cell moved through.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for Madison County late Saturday to deploy state resources to assist with response and recovery efforts.

"Our hearts go out to all those affected by the deadly storms that tore through our state today," Reynolds said in a statement. "Our hearts ache during this time, but I know Iowans will step up and come together to help in this time of need-they already are."

Reynolds toured the damage in Madison County on Sunday, calling it "absolutely heartbreaking" to see the destruction in person but stating that the "outpouring of support from volunteers" was "even more overwhelming" to witness.

Mother Nature hit relief and volunteer efforts hard at the start of this week as winter descended upon the region with snow and 20-degree temperatures. The wintry weather forced the Madison County Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency to delay debris removal operations.

"Roads are still snow-covered and we do not want volunteers to be injured due to not knowing what is under the snow," the agency said on Twitter.

Cleanup and recovery may again be hampered later on this week, AccuWeather meteorologists say, as yet another storm with snow and a reinforcing wave of cold air is expected to arrive late Wednesday into Thursday.

In total, four tornadoes were confirmed on Sunday, with three sweeping through Arkansas and one in Missouri. One injured five people and damaged two homes east of Zion, Arkansas, and structures were also reported damaged north of Dover, about 80 miles northwest of Little Rock.

Late Monday, a second EF-1 tornado was confirmed by the NWS to have hit Arkansas. Maximum winds of the tornado were estimated to be between 86 and 110 mph. At least two people were reported injured and power outages occurred in the Theodosia, Mo., area.

Video footage showed a tornado swirling through nearby London, which left several flattened structures, twisted metal and uprooted trees.

Porter said that a solution for the warning delays caused by the technical glitch is of urgent importance. "This is a topic, with Saturday being the latest example, that should be immediately prioritized due to the potential impact on lives and property if public safety warnings from the NWS are delayed or fail to be delivered," he said.

Buchanan, the NWS public affairs director, told AccuWeather that the agency is looking to immediately implement "procedural changes to avoid a repeat" of what happened on Saturday -- even a potential short-term option could be deployed before a more sweeping change can be made.

"The deadly tornado outbreak in Iowa on March 5 was heartbreaking," Buchanan said, "and our thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones."

ALL WOMEN PAY THE PINK TAX
GAO: Military women have higher out-of-pocket expenses

Women in the U.S. military pay more in out-of-pocket expenses than do men, a General Accountability Office report concluded. 

Photo by LCpl. Paul Martinez/U.S. Marine Corps

March 5 (UPI) -- Female service members pay significantly more out-of-pocket expenses than male counterparts, notably in uniform costs, the General Accountability Office said.

The 52-page report noted that over a 20-year military career, female members could pay as much as $8,300 more than male personnel for uniforms not covered by clothing allowances. It cited the Army policy of not offering an all-weather coat to women, although it does to men. The Air Force and Marines provide a coat to members of both genders.

The discrepancies amount to a "pink tax" on females, the GAO report, released last week, concluded, making recommendations to address cost inequities.

The Department of Defense announced that it agreed with the findings and will work to reduce the differences in out-of-pocket expenses, develop more consistent criteria, arrange periodic reviews of clothing lists and review plans for military uniform changes and the related out-of-pocket expenses to service members.

Female Marines can spend up to 10 times as much as male Marines, female Navy personnel pay three times as much as men, female Army members pay twice as much, and men in the Air Force typically have a funding surplus while women do not, the report noted.

"Beginning in fiscal year 2021, enlisted [Marine] males will no longer receive an annualized standard cash clothing replacement allowance for underwear, according to the officials," GAO officials wrote in their report. "Currently, males receive an annualized standard cash clothing replacement allowance for their underwear, but females do not."

The report also mentioned that female Marines have no replacement allowance for shoes known as "dress pumps," although the shoes are listed as a required uniform item. It added that the shoes example was an oversight and the Marine Corps plans to rectify the matter.

The Marines have also been paying for military underwear for male personnel, although "drawers" have not been on the Marine Corps Minimum Requirement List for over 20 years, the GAO study found.

"We found these differences in replacement allowances can also contribute to differences in out-of-pocket costs by service and gender for enlisted service members," the report said in part. Developing consistent criteria for uniquely military items and periodically reviewing uniform replacement allowances could strengthen DOD's ability to identify and address any out-of-pocket cost differences across the services as well as between female and male enlisted service members."

Senate sends Emmett Till Anti-lynching Act to Biden's desk


The Emmett Till Ant-lynching Act, which the Senate passed Monday, was named after the 14-year-old boy who was killed in the summer of 1955 by two White men on accusations of whistling at a White woman. 

File Photo courtesy of Rep. Bobby Rush

March 8 (UPI) -- The Senate has sent the Emmett Till Anti-lynching Act 2022 to the desk of President Joe Biden to sign it into law and make lynching a federal hate crime.

The bill was passed by Senate lawmakers through unanimous consent on Monday after the House voted 422-3 in its favor last week.

"After more than 200 failed attempts to outlaw lynching, Congress is finally succeeding in taking a long overdue action by passing the Emmett Till Anti-lynching Act. Hallelujah, it's long overdue," Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said from the floor.

He said the first anti-lynching law was introduced more than a century ago and that it took this long to criminalize lynching is a "bitter stain on America."

"While this will not erase the horrific injustices to which tens of millions of African Americans have been subjected over the generations nor fully heal the terror inflicted on countless others, it is an important step forward as we continue the work on confronting our nation's past in pursuit of a brighter and more just future," the senator from New York said.

The bill specifically amends the main criminal code of the federal government to include lynching as a hate crime, and punishes those convicted of conspiring to commit the offense resulting in death or serious bodily injury to no more than 30 years' imprisonment.

The instrument of lynching was the public killing of a person who has not go through the court system, the NAACP said on its website, adding that it was used by White people to terrorize and control Black people in the United States but particularly in the South during the 19th and 20th centuries.

"A typical lynching involved a criminal accusation, an arrest and the assembly of a mob, followed by seizure, physical torment and murder of the victim," it said, adding that it was often a public spectacle "in celebration of White supremacy."

Emmet Till, the bill's namesake, was a 14-year-old Chicago boy who was visiting family in Money, Miss., in the summer of 1955 when he was kidnapped and brutally beaten by two White men who accused him of whistling at a White woman.

His nude body was retrieved days later from a river. He was shot in the head and weighed down by a 125 pounds of metal.

Following his death, his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, demanded an open casket during his funeral so the more than 50,000 attendees could see the violence inflicted upon her son. A photograph of the deceased boy lying in the coffin was instrumental in galvanizing activists fighting for civil rights.

According to the NAACP, from 1882 to 1968, there were 4,743 lynchings across the United States.

"I am overjoyed with the Senate passage of the Emmett Till Anti-lynching Act," said Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J. "The time is past due to reckon with this dark chapter in our history and I'm proud of the bipartisan support to pass this important piece of legislation."

RELATED Report: Autopsy for Emmett Till's body

The bill being sent to Biden's desk follows Senate lawmakers early this year passing a bill to posthumously award Emmett Till and his mother the Congressional Gold Medal, the U.S. Congress' highest civilian honor.

It has yet to be voted on in the House.